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What I'd really like to discuss is how the Second Polish Republic would function under Roman Dmowski. He was a right-wing, anti-semitic, Polish nationalist who fought for an ethnically and religiously homogenous state, opposing the policies of Jozef Pilsudski.

How does one get him into power? There's numerous PODs, particularily when he handed in his resignation just before the August 13 Battle of Warsaw, or before that on July 12 when there was a vote of no-confidence against him due to the incoming Soviet offensive. Or how about earlier, when a coup by Dmowski's faction, the National Democrats, was launched to topple the Pilsudski government? Or when Paderewski prevented Dmowski from bringing in the Blue Army to start a civil war in Poland?

There are numerous PODs, but it is unlikely that Dmowski would prevent the USSR from toppling the Polish Republic in their rampage towards Germany. Pilsudski was largely responsible for the Miracle at the Vistula, so we need one after that point.

I present the assassination attempt on Jozef Pilsudski's life on September 25, 1921 by Ukrainian independence activist Stepan Fedak. The bullet missed his head by a hair, Pilsudski reported. So what if it had hit?

What I posit now is a scenario in which Dmowski and the National Democrats take power, but please comment on whether you think its plausible, or whether you think something else would happen with this POD.

With the death of Pilsudski an immediate presidential election takes place. However, Pilsudski has not built up the influence of Gabriel Narutowicz, and the assassination by a Ukrainian increases anti-minority sentiments. As such, Roman Dmowski is voted to be the new President, even though he explicity had the 1921 Constitution curb the powers of the executive branch to limit Pilsudski. The National Democrats have taken power.

Furthermore, I could see Dmowski blaming all of Poland's problems (the hyperinflation it would experience from the 1920s on) on the minorities. This could keep him in power. Anti-semitic practices could emerge, as did in Poland in the mid-to-late 1930s, as Dmowski wanted to deport all but the entirety of the Polish Jew population. While cruel, I am imagining a much larger Jewish population leaving for the United States, Israel, and elsewhere, perhaps even Germany where they might cause the country to become anti-semitic faster because of their presence (useful in that it might get the attention of the Allies sooner, as bad as it sounds). Dmowski could force the Jews out of Poland during the 1920s, where they might have a chance to find safety, instead of waiting around until the Holocaust. So you see, this is kind of a 'better' situation for them.

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